Garment



1957 B. BROADWIN 2,803,823

- GARMENT Filed Sept. 10. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet IL ATTORNEY Aug. 27, 1957 B. BROADWIN GARMENT Filed Sept; 10. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

I INVENTOR atewlcfflkonbwml 6i ATTORNEY United States Patent Q GARMENT Bernice Broadwin, Far Rockaway, N. Y.

Application September 10, 1954, Serial No. 455,234

6 Claims. (Cl. 2--67) This invention relates to garments and more specifically to a new and improved bathing suit for women that will enable the attainment of a perfect fit While avoiding the requirement for large stocks and the accompanying high costs involved in providing bathing suits of conventional design.

While womens bathing suit sizes are standardized to meet the requirements of most women, considerable difficulty is encountered in the larger sizes. Women requiring larger size clothing or who are taller than average do not conform to basic pattern sizes. Some have large thighs and hips in proportion to the waist line and bust line while others have relatively narrow thighs and hips. if the bathing suit is purchased to fit the largest dimension, relatively costly alterations are required to produce a properly fitted garment.

Accordingly, one object of the invention is a new and improved two-piece bathing suit that is arranged and designed to assure a perfect fit and enables stouter women to procure a well fitting garment at a reasonable price.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an improved bathing suit for women that will properly conform to the shape of the body and will have the appearance of a custom made garment and will be comfortable to wear and relatively easy to put on and remove.

Still another object of the invention resides in a new and improved bathing suit for women.

The above and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings forming part of this application.

In the figures:

Figs. 1 and 2 are two views of bathing suits in accordance with the invention, showing its application to women having different body dimensions;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the bathing suit as illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4- is a perspective view of the top or waist portion of a suit in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the bottom or skirt por tion of a suit in accordance with the invention with the zipper partially open; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the skirt portion shown in Fig. 5 to illustrate further details of the invention.

As pointed out above, the bathing suit in accordance with the invention is formed in two separate sections, namely, the top or waist and the bottom or skirt. The two sections are arranged and coordinated as will be described so that different size tops can be interconnected with different size skirts to form a complete well fitting suit. In this way a person can select the top and bottom sections according to her height and size and thereby avoid the annoyance, time and cost required for alterations. As an example and with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, Fig. 1 illustrates a bathing suit selected to fit a person having a relatively large thigh dimension and small bust dimension. Fig. 2 shows a suit for a person having a relatively small thigh dimension and large bust dimension. Moreover,

2 the skirt length can be modified to accommodate persons of different heights.

More specifically and with reference to Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive, the suit in accordance with the invention is formed of top and bottom sections 10 and 12 respectively joined by overlying waist bands 11 and 13. The top section 10 of the suit is formed with a pair of back panels 14 and 15 (see Fig. 3) joined together with an inside seam 16 disposed centrally of the back. The side panels 17 and 18 lie under the arms and are secured to the adjoining rear panels along generally vertical seams 19 :and 20 respectively. The front section of the waist 10 is formed of two sections 21 and 22 joined to the respective side panels 17 and 18 by seams as shown at 23. All of the panels referred to above are attached to a fine textured elastic belt 11. The belt and front panels 21 and 22 are joined by a zipper or other suitable fastening means 24 to form the completed garment. The entire structure is preferably supported by a pair of shoulder straps 25 and 25 with the strap 25 joined to the upper edges of the rear panel 15 and front panel 21 and the strap 25' joined to the rear panel 14 and the front panel 22.

Each front panel (21 and 22) is preferably provided with shaped cups 26 of varying sizes to accommodate different bust dimensions. The cups may be formed in any suitable manner and the upper edge of each front section is preferably cuived upwardly at the center to provide added support. In addition curved stays 27 and 28 extend from the upper edge of each of the front sections about the edges of the cups to the belt 11. This provides a form fitting garment and enables the attainment of complete support of the busts with maximum comfort for the wearer.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the elastic belt or midriff 11 is provided with buttons 29 for securing the belt 13 of the bottom section 12 thereto.

The bottom section 12 of the bathing suit is formed of three essential elements, namely, the belt 13, skirt 30 and a pantie girdle 31. The pantie girdle which may be made of any suitable material, is preferably formed of a somewhat elastic material to provide added support and has knitted elastic bands 32 about the legs thereof. The front section 33 of the girdle 31 is preferably reinforced with an added layer of material and a pair of spaced stays 34. If desired a similar construction may be employed on the back which Will greatly improve appearance and comfort of the garment. In order to enable the wearer to put on and remove this section of the garment, a zipper 35 is provided in the left front section as illustrated in the drawings.

The skirt 30 of the bottom section has a false pleat 36 that is adapted to be opened for a short distance of the skirt length as indicated at 36 to provide access to the zipper 35. Both the skirt 30 and the pantie girdle 31 are joined to the elastic belt 13 which is provided with a plurality of button holes 37 positioned to correspond to the position of the buttons 29 on the belt or midriif 11 of the waist 10.

To emphasize the important advantages of this invention it may be pointed out that the waist 10 may be made in two or three different sizes with each size having a series of difierent size cups. The skirts 12 may be arranged broadly in two sizes With the large size having both long and medium skirts and the small size having both medium and short skirts. In this way, a minimum number of different sized Waist and skirt sections need be made to meet most all requirements and at the same time provide a well fitting, attractive and comfortable suit.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is apparent that changes, modifications and alterations may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit thereof.

What is claimed is: g I

l. A bathing suit comprising a waist having an elastic midrifif band, a bottom section including a girdle, an overlying skirtand an elasticbelt secured to said skirt and girdle, and automatically aligning means on said band and-belt tozsecure one to the, other to form a substantially unitary garment.

2. A bathingsuit according to claim 1, wherein waist and associated band are closed by a zipper. disposed centrally of the front ,andsaid belt, skirt and girdle are openable alongavertical line displaced from the center of said bottom section, 3, Arbathing, suit according to claim 1, wherein said waistand girdle: include supporting stays.

4. A, womans bathing suit comprising a plurality of vertically disposed. panels joined one to the other to form a waist, fastening means disposedalong the front of said waistto open andclose it, shoulder strapscoupledwith the upper edge of said waist, an elastic band secured to the lower, perimeter ofithe, panels, a pair of cups formed in thefrontoflsaid waist, apair of stays disposed about each cup and extendingiriom thetop edge of said waist to said elastic band, a pantie girdle having leg openings including an elastic band about each opening, at least one pair of spaced stays disposed in the front of said girdle, a zipper for opening; and closing said girdle spaced from and parallel to one of said stays, an overlying skirt havingan opening aligned with said zipper, an elastic belt joined to both the girdle and skirt to form a unitary garment, and means for securing said band and belt one to the other in overlying relationship.

5. A womans bathing suit comprising at least two front panels and at least two rear panels coupled one to the other, to form an openfront waist, a zipper between said front panels to close said waist, an elastic band surrounding the lower perimeter of said waist, a pair of shoulder strapseach connected between a rear panel and the associated front panel, said front panels each being cupped outwardly and having a pair of stays extending from said band'upwardly about the edges of said cup andjoinedt'o the upper edge of said panel at the point of joinder of the associated shoulder strap, a pantie girdle having leg openings including an elastic band about each opening, at least one pair of spaced stays disposed in the front of said girdle, a zipper for opening and closing said girdle spaced from and parallel to one of said stays, an overlying skirt having an opening aligned with said zipper, an elastic belt joined to both the girdle and skirt to form a unitary garment, and means for securing" saidbeltand band one to the other in overlying relationship.

6. A womans bathing suit according to claim 5, wherein said belt and skirt are openable to expose said zipper and said belt is provided with means for fastening its ends together with the edges of the opening in said skirt in overlapping relationship to completely cover the zipper and relieve at least part of the stress thereon.

References, Cited in the file. of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,148,344 Freedman Feb. 21, 1939 2,208,115 Cantil' July 16, 1940 2,211,100 Cohen Aug. 13,1940 2,289,429 Jackson July 14, 1942 2,388,926 Mirsky Nov. 1-3, 1945 2,390,462 Rosenberg Dec. 4, 1945 2,449,857 Neuhofiet al. Sept. 21, 1948 2,470,678 Auslender May 17, 1949 2,526,978. Sullivan Oct. 24, 1950 2,541,698 Gulisano Feb. 13, 1951 2,583,865 McIlhinney Jan. 29, 1952 2,587,911 Sider Mar. 4, 1952 2,671,218 Luhr Mar.9, 1954 2,697,224 Aidenland Dec. 21, 1954 FOREIGN. PATENTS 246,972 Switzerland Nov. 1, 1947 

